Lancing devices or “lancets” are commonly used in a variety of medical applications for obtaining blood samples from a patient. In diabetic applications, for example, such devices are frequently used to obtain a blood sample for measuring an individual's blood glucose levels to ensure that they are within a permissible range. Other medical blood diagnostics frequently require the collection of a blood sample from an individual to be examined. Typically, such devices may be used obtain a relatively small blood sample on the order of only a few micro-liters by pushing a sharp lancet through the individual's skin such as into the finger pad or earlobe. The lancets typically have a needle tip coupled to a handle or base that can be gripped by the user or inserted into a lancing device for piercing the skin. A removable cap is often provided over the needle tip to prevent the individual from accidentally sticking themselves with the tip prior to use, and to facilitate the sterile storage of the lancets within the packaging.
The packaging for lancets is typically accomplished in loose form, with several lancets disposed in a disordered arrangement within a cardboard box or within a tube. In some cases, the lancets may each be individually stored within a blister pack or other sterilized packaging medium. For each lancing process, the user manually removes a lancet from the packaging and grips the base of the lancet. The protective cap provided over the needle tip is then removed by the user, exposing the needle tip for use. Once a blood sample has been obtained, the lancet can then be sealed again by inserting the protective cap back over the needle tip. The used lancet can then be disposed within a waste container.
The process of retrieving a new lancet from the packaging and removing the protective cap to expose the needle tip can be difficult for some individuals due to the relatively small size of the lancet and since the individual's dexterity may be lowered due to their medical condition. For diabetics, for example, the individual's hypoglycemic state may make the process of removing the protective cap more difficult or even prohibitive. The difficulty associated with dispensement and cap removal may, in some circumstances, encourage the individual to reuse the lancet several times, which is unacceptable for hygienic reasons. Moreover, since the lancets are often designed to be used only once and become rapidly blunt, such reuse of the lancet may lead to increasing pain and discomfort by the user.